


do what you want, how you want, when you want

by Seito



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 10:58:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1030877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seito/pseuds/Seito
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark is Sanae Hanekoma. </p><p> </p><p>  <i>“What the hell are you up to Josh?!” </i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the avenger kinkmeme.

There was a feather.  
  
Tony stared at it as it hovered a few centimeters above his desk. He didn’t dare to reach for it; almost afraid of the message it could... it would contain. The bigger question at the moment was why was it here?  
  
It was a snap realization.  
  
Like the proverbial light bulb turning on, the remembrance flooded through his memory. Tony pulled out his Starkphone, flicking through apps before finally arriving at the calendar. He was right. The Game was approaching.  
  
Closing the app, Tony pressed the dialer and two buttons later was speed-dialing Pepper’s number.  
  
“Yes Tony?” Pepper answered. Her tone was light, Tony noted, but tired.  
  
The Chitauri’s invasion on New York had only happened a week ago. The city was repairing, recovering, and mourning as it tried to repair the pieces. It was the only reason why the Game had slipped Tony’s mind. Pepper had been inconsolable the first two nights between the news footage of Tony guiding the nuke through the portal to the _one missed phone call_. She didn’t stop crying until the third day and wouldn’t, -couldn’t- let Tony out her sight until the fourth.  
  
Tony hated to have caused her so much torment. Pepper didn’t deserve that. There have been many people Tony had met throughout his life. Pepper by far was one of his favorites. Regardless of what would have happened with the portal, he would have walked out alive. It was merely a question of “who” would walk out of the portal alive.  
  
He stomped down on the tiny voice in his head that whispered that a part of him wanted “Tony Stark” not to survive the flight through the portal just so he wouldn’t have to lie to Pepper, wouldn’t have to play his double life anymore.  
  
“I’m going Japan. Today most likely,” he announced to her, turning his thoughts away from his musing and focusing back on her. He waited for the message to sink in, hoping she wouldn’t burst into tears and demand otherwise. Tony couldn’t deal with Pepper’s tears, but this was something that needed to be done; a duty he cannot ignore.  
  
“Oh,” she answered. Her voice was quiet and tight. Tony fervently hoped she wasn’t upset. She didn’t sound upset, not yet.  
  
“Well,” she finally continued. “It is that time again isn’t it?”  
  
Tony let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. She understood. “Yeah,” he said, reaching for the feather. He might as well read the message now. He touched the feather, allowing it to morph into a scroll. Unrolling it, a frown began to appear on his face as his eyes scanned the message.  
  
“Tony?” Pepper interrupted, breaking his thought cycle. “Is everything alright? You went silent.”  
  
Tony grinned, even though he knew she couldn’t see it. “Of course!” he reassured her. “I wanted to let you know I might be there longer than a week.” The orders… were strange. There was growing sinking feeling something was very wrong. No, it was not going to be a normal Game. Not at all.  
  
“What?!”  
  
Tony winced, hearing the panic beginning to leak into Pepper’s voice. “It’s nothing,” he said. “It’s just, you know, they saw the news and want to make sure I’m alright. I think I might have given my aunty a scare,” he added with a nervous chuckle. Guilt twisted in his stomach as the lies spilled from his mouth.  
  
To his surprise Pepper began to laugh as well. It was an odd mixture of hysteria and amusement, as if she couldn’t decide whether it was really funny or if it cut too close to home. “I can’t blame her,” Pepper said. “Alright. What about the Avengers?”

“They can always call me if they need me. They’ll probably miss my basking awesomeness,” Tony said.  
  
“More like enjoying the quiet without your science-y talk,” Pepper joked out.  
  
Tony beamed. There was the Pepper he knew and loved. Things weren’t right yet but they were moving forward. “Bruce would miss that!” he protested.  
  
“He doesn’t count! He’s your ‘science bro’ as you keep telling me.”  
  
They bought burst out laughing over the phone. “Do you need me to book your ticket?” Pepper offered, once the laughter died down.  
  
“Nah,” Tony said. “I already booked it.”  
  
“Alright, have a safe trip,” Pepper said.  
  
“I always do,” Tony answered. He ended the call, tossing his phone onto the desk. Lending back, letting the chair tip backwards, Tony ran a hand through his hair. He glanced over the message once more before letting out a groan.  
  
“What the hell are you up to Josh?!” 

xXxXx

  
  
Tony waved goodbye to Happy as his driver pulled away with the limo. Under normal circumstances, he would have taken his private jet and flown to his destination. This time though he would be boarding an airplane with three hundred other passengers. Simply, Tony needed to become one in the crowd. At least, he’ll have the comforts of first class instead of the claustrophobic mess of economy.  
  
As he passed through the crowds of people, he upped his frequency little by little. One notch would make people realize someone was there but wouldn’t be able to remember his features. Another notch would make people not even realize he was there. One more and he’ll be on a completely different plane than those around him.  
  
If anyone had been following him, they would have assumed Tony Stark moved on through security and toward his plane ride. In reality, he had just stepped into the bathroom to change. He changed out of the expensive suit, replacing it with black slacks, a cheap white collar shirt and black vest. Shoes come off, replaced with comfortable sandals. If only the fashion police could see him now.  
  
Stepping out of the stall and approaching the sink, he looked himself over. Tony Stark no longer reflected back in the mirror. Asian features were more prominent. He was skinnier, leaner. Gone was Tony Stark and Sanae Hanekoma stood in his place.  
  
Tossing his carry on bag over his shoulder, Sanae grinned. He pulled out a pair of sunglasses and perched them on his nose. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

What a curious object.

 

Thor held the tiny circular piece in his hand, turning it over again and again as he examined it. It was metal... thing, not even the size of his palm. The front was colored in black, yellow, white and red twisting together. If Thor stared at it long enough, it looked almost like a yellow paw against a black background with white claws and red accents around it. From its back, a thin metal rod protruded.

 

Thor narrowed his eyes, seeing an inscription on its back. "A lamenting goddess left this prophecy for the five warring kingdoms below: that their world would end in blackest sun-fire," he read.

 

How particular.

 

“Thor?”

 

Thor looked up to see Jane standing still in her pajamas before him. “Lady Jane!” he greeted.

 

Once the news of Loki’s attack on New York and substantially Thor’s return had been plastered across every news channel, Jane had arrived to New York with Darcy in tow to track him down. It hadn’t been too hard. All she had to was follow the damages straight to Stark Tower.

 

“What is that?” Jane asked, pointing to the metal object Thor held.

 

“I do not know. I discovered it on the floor this morning,” Thor said, handing it to her to look at.

 

“Oh it’s a pin,” Jane said. At Thor’s curious expression, she elaborated. “It’s an accessory to wear, basically.”

 

“Ah,” Thor said, enlightened. “Then you can pin it to my cape then!”

 

Jane smiled. “Sure thing.”

 

\----------------------------------------------

 

The goddamn fucking sun.

 

Clint groaned as he pulled himself out of bed. His muscles ached from overuse; his body stiff and sore. He blinked at the clock, willing it to turn back with eyes still glazed over with sleep. Eleven in the morning was too goddamn early, especially since Clint didn’t crawl into bed until six this morning.

 

He had pulled the graveyard shift, helping the rescue teams who were still up heaving rubble in search of the survivors. None of the Avengers had left New York after Loki’s attack, choosing to stay behind with the relief efforts. (It was a blessing in disguise for Clint who couldn’t stomach the idea of being back with SHIELD so soon, after Coulson’s death, after his brainwashing.) Tony had offered the Tower as a place to crash as long as they didn’t mind the fact that half the windows were gone while the building was under repair.

 

The traitorous blinding sun finally grew bright enough that not even the dark heavy shades kept it out. Its rays had reached Clint’s bed that had been shoved into the farthest corner away from window. Clint had half a mind to crawl back under the covers when a shrilly shriek of his alarm clock shattered the remaining silence.

 

After he smashed the alarm clock silent, a knocking sound took its place. “Barton.” Natasha called from outside of the hallway. Her voice was muffled through the thick wooden door.

 

“I’m coming,” Clint shouted back. _‘So much for getting more sleep,’_ he lamented.

 

He stumbled out of the bed, untangling himself from the blankets. That was when he heard something drop to the floor. It was a small ‘clink’ sound, as if something metallic like a screw or a pin had dropped.

 

Clint searched the floor before finding the pin near the bed’s foot. Its surface was black, with splashes of yellow, white and red swirling on the front. He flipped the pin over. There was something inscribed on the back. Clint ran his finger over the tiny words as he read them, "Yet her prophecy held hope. The goddess promised to all living things, great and small, a saving Light to ward off their doom."

 

He scoffed at the words. A saving light? Sounded like the mumble jumbo Loki had been sprouting.

 

“Clint,” Natasha called out again through the door. “If you don’t hurry up I’m going to offer Thor your portion of the pizza!”

 

Oh no, that was not happening again. Clint pocketed the pin and dashed out the door.

 

\-------------------------

 

It was dinnertime and Bruce was once again on kitchen duty.

 

It never really helped that he was one of the few that could actually cook more than one dish. Natasha was the only one who knew more dishes than him. Clint knew one: stew. Tony could do about three: two soups and pancakes. Steve knew about five of his mother’s homemade recipes and no one had the time to actually teach Thor how to use the stove. So more than often Bruce ended up cooking on the days where everyone was too tired to move.

 

However all the dishes Bruce knew how to cook were all strange by normal American standards. He did manage to convince his teammates to try oxtail soup and various curries but never the stranger things like cow tongue and dog. Still in an age of fast food and Chinese takeout something different is always welcomed.

 

"Almost done Bruce?" Steve asked, entering the kitchen.

 

"Yup," Bruce answered. "Don't worry something safe tonight. Just spaghetti." He pulled the cover over the pot and gave the sauce a stir. Replacing the cover back on, Bruce looked at Steve and asked, "Can you call Natasha and Tony? I can get Thor and Clint. They're just in the living room."

 

"Sure thing," Steve said.

 

Bruce opened a drawer, searching for pot holders so he could remove the pot from the hot burner. He didn’t want the temperature of the sauce to get too high. Resting on top of worn pot holders was a pin. It was black with yellow swirls that looked like an animal’s face. Bruce frowned, examining it. Why was this in the drawer?

 

"But the five kings would not believe her. So one sought strength and found futility; so another sank in mindless wisdom,” Bruce read off the back of the pin.

 

The bubbling of the sauce broke Bruce’s thoughts as he quickly pocketed the pin and grabbed the pot holders. “The sauce!”

 

\------------------------------------------

 

It was a beautiful mural if she was being honest.

 

Natasha stood on the rooftop of the Tower. It had been something she noticed out of the corner of her eye when she was up here trying to close the portal on the Chitauri.

 

The mural wrapped around the stairway entrance to the roof. Brightly colored letters spelt out whimsical nonsense and the center was a black cat with stars for eyes. She touched the mural, tracing the outline of black wings.

 

She couldn’t explain it, but there was this tug she felt when staring at it. It was subtle in an awe inspiring way.

 

“Natasha?”

 

And just like that it shattered away.

 

"Captain," Natasha greeted. Steve had appeared alongside her, staring at the mural.

 

"Beautiful isn't it?" Steve asked. "I can stare at for hours."

 

"You come here a lot then," Natasha concluded.

 

"Not really. If you look this artist's work is all over the city. Strangely not a single one was damaged during the fight. I run passed a lot of them in the morning."

 

"I wonder who they are," Natasha mused. "Perhaps I should ask Tony." This... piece had a calming effect. As if she was adrift in the sea, just floating as the clouds passed by overhead. After a long day of searching for survivors and dead bodies among the rubble, this was a welcomed change of mood.

 

"You think Tony would know?" Steve asked. "He never struck me as an art lover."

 

Natasha shrugged. "The artist had to get up here somehow."

 

"True," Steve agreed. "Bruce said dinner is ready."

 

Natasha swept her eyes over the mural again, feeling that subtle tug again. "I'll be down in a few minutes," she said.

 

Steve nodded. He pulled himself away from the mural and headed toward the stairs.

 

Natasha heard the door closed as Steve left her to her thoughts. She ran her hand over the mural once more, following the white outline of a word colored blue. A bump in the wall caused her to stop.

 

It was a single blemish on an otherwise perfectly curved line. Looking closer it was a button pin, simple single black and yellow pin. Natasha pulled it off the wall. It came off easily as it was only held by a single piece of tape. “Why would anyone put this up here?” she asked. How would have they even gotten up here?

 

She turned the pin over, looking for a marking that would describe the owner. Instead she found an inscription on the back. "In the end, the kings' delusions led them to a chamber of reckoning, where their unspent chaos brought fear and woe to all,” she read.

 

Natasha frowned. “What is this suppose to mean?” She pondered it for a few more seconds before pocketing it. “I’ll examine it closer later. Better head down for dinner.”

 

After all she wouldn’t want to upset Bruce by not being present. The last thing anyone needed was the Hulk in the kitchen.

 

\------------------------------------

 

Steve couldn’t find Tony.

 

That... never was a good sign. He had checked Tony’s bedroom, the lab, the garage, the lobby, the gym, all the living quarters even the dusty old library. Yet Tony couldn’t be found anywhere.  

 

Steve sighed as he closed the door to the library. Where could Tony be?

 

“JARVIS?” Steve finally asked, giving in.

 

“Yes Mister Rogers?” JARVIS instantly answered. His voice echoed throughout the hallway.

 

Steve grimaced a little. The concept of a talking house was easy to accept and understand (It was a shame no one had invented flying cars yet), but actually hearing JARVIS still took getting used to. It wasn’t often that Steve had to address something that was invisible to the naked eye.  “Do you know where Tony is? It’s dinner time,” Steve said.

 

“Sir is not the building.”

 

Steve blinked. Tony wasn’t in the building? Where did he go?

 

“Did he say when he would be back?”

 

“He did not.”

 

Steve frowned. It couldn’t be helped he supposed. If Tony wasn’t here no amount of questioning of JARVIS would magically make him appear. A quick phone call to confirm if he would be back soon would probably be for the best.

 

As Steve turned to head toward the kitchen, Steve felt himself kick something. “What was that?” He bent down the ground, feeling the soft carpet for whatever he had hit.

 

It was a small black and yellow pin. “A pin?” Steve asked. He squint his eyes as he read the inscription.

 

"Now, as the boy stands before Eden, the five kings in his wake, the goddess rewards his balanced judgment with her Light."

 

How strange.

 

“Steve!”

 

Steve looked up to see Pepper coming down the hall.

 

“Hello Miss Potts,” Steve greeted. Tony had introduced Pepper to the team a few days ago. She was friendly and nice, easily helping Steve with whatever questions he had. Steve had to admire the way she handed Tony too.

 

“Pepper,” she quickly corrected him. “What are you doing?”

 

“I was just about to call Tony to see if he would be home in time for dinner. Bruce is almost done cooking.”

 

Pepper gave Steve an inquisitive look. “He didn’t tell you guys? Tony left for Japan last night.”

 

Steve blinked in surprise. “What? Japan? Why?”

 

“Well... then again Tony never really tells anyone when he’s going to Japan. He just ups and goes and lets everyone else scramble to figure it out. Tony always goes to Japan every few months for as long as I’ve known him,” Pepper explained. “He never told me the exact reason but he has I guess like a foster family there that he loves to visit in person. Rambles about some kid named Joshua sometimes. I think it’s also to get away from here, the pressure the media, everything.”

 

A quiet ‘oh’ was Steve’s only response. He understood a bit, the need to get away. It would have been nice to know, but as Steve was finding out, Tony Stark never did anything by normal means.

 

“How long is he usually gone?” Steve asked. The more he was aware of it, the better he could prepare for it next time.

 

“Usually it’s about a nine to ten days,” Pepper said. “He said this time though it would probably be longer, closer to month. Sounded like they really wanted to make sure he was alright.” Her voice wavered as the end of the sentence before she sighed. A tired look washed over her face as her shoulders sagged.

 

Steve gave her a friendly warm smile and held out his hand. “Miss Potts would you be so kind as to join the rest of the Avengers for dinner tonight?”

 

The corners of Pepper’s mouth twitched upward. She looped her arm around his and said, “I’ll be delighted to.”

 

\------------------------------

 

Shibuya

 

Sanae stretched, lazily taking in the sights of his favorite city in Japan. Not much had changed over the last few months. Still ever crowded, fashion everywhere and overflowing with Imagination.

 

It really felt like coming home.

 

Sanae laughed, feeling a joyous euphoria spread throughout his body. As much as he loved playing “Tony Stark”, Shibuya offered him a welcome break from the paparazzi, money, grief, guilt and superheroing that his human alias maintained. There are no burdens or pressures here. Well there is the sense of duty, his job, but hopefully Joshua wasn’t causing any sort of trouble.

 

However, the underlying poisonous notes twisting in Shibuya’s song told him otherwise. Sanae frowned. Looked like his hunch was correct.

 

“Oh Joshua,” Sanae said with a sigh. “Just what is going on?”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Nearly four weeks of the mess.

If Sanae wasn't sure someone was going to cut off his wings and toss him into hell before, they certainly were going to now. He rubbed his chest, feeling the burn from the fallen angel stigma. It was a different pain then the dull but constant ache of the arc reactor.

All of it had been worth it. Every plan plotted, every rule broken, every lie, every feeling; all of it had been worth in the end. Shibuya was intact. Her song singing brighter than it had in years. Phones and his friends were alive, literally. Joshua, the little demon, had finally made friends after hundreds of years of isolation. All it had taken was a kid with headphones to change his entire worldview.

A lollipop moment.

There was an inspirational speaker back in the USA who spoke of that small almost insignificant moment where meeting someone will forever shape your life. A lollipop moment, he called it. It was inspired by the speaker whose moment was giving a lollipop to a girl who ready to quit college. The speaker didn't remember the event, but for that girl who decided to stay, meeting her boyfriend and eventual husband due to the speaker and his lollipop, it shaped her life.

For Tony Stark, Ho Yinsen was his lollipop moment.

For Joshua, Neku Sakuraba was the same.

Life had a funny way of working out. If Sanae was feeling honest with himself, Ho Yinsen was also the lollipop moment for Sanae Hanekoma too. Tony Stark was created out of sheer boredom, another way to pass time in between games and another outlet for Sanae's bursting imagination. Weapons, guns, missiles, tanks, airplanes, they're not much different than the psyches Sanae were used to creating. Works of arts if one asked Sanae himself. But it wasn't until Ho Yinsen that Sanae ever stop to think of the effects of trying his hands in weapon design in the RG. Psyches were different; they help people improve their soul, their imagination. Even if they kill Reapers, Noise, other players, they ultimately brighten the soul for the next cycle of rebirth.

Real weapons just kill. There was no benefit for anyone.

As Tony Stark, Sanae had influenced the entire world negatively by spreading his imagination through weapons. He couldn't go back in time and fix it. Couldn't even report it his bosses who... didn't know what Sanae did in his free time for the last forty sometimes years. Something else had to be done.

It would have been easy to let Tony Stark die in the cave in Afghanistan. It would have been easy to use his Angel Powers to escape, leaving no survivors. It would have been easy to leave Yinsen behind.

It would have been easy.

But Sanae, as lazy as he can be, never took the easy way out. There was simply no fun in that. That was Sanae's problem to fix.

Iron Man was born as the result.

As much as he loved his job as Producer, loved hanging with Joshua (despite the multiple headaches the Composer loved causing), loved Shibuya, Sanae was looking forward to going back to being Tony Stark. Evil villains trying to take over the world are much easier to deal with then the politics of the Angels and the Reaper Game.

That was assuming of course, that his bosses aren't going to kill him and Joshua for the stunt they just pulled.

"I can't believe you swooped down to using taboo noise. If you get fired from being my Producer, I'm going to be angry," Joshua said, crossing his arms. They stood on the rooftop of 104, overlooking the crowds of Shibuya.

Sanae reached over and swung his arm around Joshua's shoulder. It was one of the few times that Joshua was his in Composer's form with Sanae. Usually he preferred his much younger RG version whenever Sanae was with him. But the Angel Council wanted to see them both. Hopefully no one would need to get in touch with him soon. He didn't get coverage on the Angel Plane.

"They can't fire me. Mark me as a fallen angel sure, but they don't have anyone willing to put up with you and your craziness," Sanae pointed out.

"True."

Joshua fell silent, watching in the distance Neku met up with his friends.

Sanae followed his line of vision, easily spotting Neku among the crowd. "You know... This mess is gonna have repercussions upstairs. But hey, at least things are back to normal, right?"

Joshua glared back at Sanae.

"What?" Sanae said. "You seem down! Hey, it's their world. They get to decide what to do with it. Just..."

Joshua vanished into a burst of light, heading for the Angel Plane.

Sanae sighed and shook his head. "Some folks just don't take no for an answer."

He disappeared, following after Joshua.

 

xXxXx

 

"Where the hell is Stark?!"

"Not answering his phone!" Steve shouted back. He ducked as a car went whirling over his head.

What could only be described as a giant robot had decided to attack the city. Easily towering over buildings, its thick metal armor made it nearly impossible to get through. Clint's arrows bounced harmlessly off it; the same for Natasha's bullets and Steve's shield. Thor and Hulk managed to make a few small dents but otherwise the monster continued its rampage.

"Shit! This is not the time for Stark not to answer!" Clint shouted. He shot another arrow, aiming for the robot's eye, hoping something would pierce the lens and maybe, just maybe, cause it to stop.

"I admit this robot's hide is much thicker than expected," Thor said. The rest of the team gathered around Steve.

"So Captain any suggestion as what to do next?"

Steve looked at his worn out teammates. "There must be some sort of weakness we cannot detect. We need to somehow knock it off balance to stop its movement."

"Tripping it!" Thor agreed. " Perhaps some rope around its legs."

"Exactly."

Hulk let out a loud roar, interrupting the plan.

"Um guys?" Clint said. The robot loomed over them. A bright red light was gathering around its mouth. "We should run!"

It was too late. 'BOOM!' The bright red light fired, engulfing the Avengers. Debris flew as a crater began to form. The shockwaves rippled outward, shattering windows and knocking down street signs, telephones poles, and other items. Cars flew, rolling down the streets and slamming into buildings.

Then silence.

Slowly the dust settled. In the center of the crater, the Avengers stood unharmed.

"What... on earth?" Steve said, lowering his shield. He couldn't believe they survived that attack.

A green light pulsed around them, glowing around them like a second skin.

"I was unaware that one of you was versed in the arts of magic," Thor said.

"Not me," Clint said.

Hulk let out a deafening roar and leapt forward.

"Let's figure it out later," Natasha said. "We still have to stop that thing!"

Steve nodded. "Agreed. Avengers Assemble!"

 

xXxXx

 

"So you're leaving for America again?"

Sanae reached over to ruffle Joshua's hair. "That's right kiddo."

The two of them had collapsed back on Wildkat's couch after returning from the Angel Plane. Sanae had to admit, their punishment was light all things considered. Things could have gone much worse and a few hours of what could only be the equivalent of community service was practically a slap on the wrist. In fact the higher ups all but ordered Joshua to spend more time with Neku. The idea of a mortal human boy being the catalyst for change in Shibuya's stubborn composer was nothing short of a miracle in their books.

Joshua crossed his arms and frown. "Just because my RG form looks like a teenager, does not make me a kid," he pointed out. "And why America? It's so far from Shibuya."

Sanae laughed. "I told you, you could have come with me. I could have used a younger brother. And far away from Shibuya is the point. Change of scenery can do you wonders."

Joshua shrugged but didn't answer. There was too many reasons not to go, too many reasons why he couldn't go.

A comfortable silence fell over the two of them.

"Sanae," Joshua finally spoke up. "When I show up you better show me around."

Sanae let out a barking laugh. Oh his wayward composer was finally expanding his horizons. Neku really did a number on Joshua. "Of course Josh. Of course."

 

xXxXx

 

The Avengers had taken down the giant robot.

Just like Fury expected, they would shine together. A group of remarkable people, capable of fighting the fights no one could fight.

Phil Coulson didn't have a single clue as to why he felt a touch of pride, watching them band together. But the feeling was there. Perhaps when he was alive, he had some sort of interaction with them. He vaguely recalled being assigned to a mission dealing with Tony Stark and Thor and knew that Barton and Romanov were agents he had worked with before. The rest was like a fuzzy blur.

It was quite maddening.

He kept a calm head about it though. If there was a chance to discover to find out, it would all be revealed soon. He hoped.

Just one more day.

Coulson stared at his hand, as the digital counter continued to count down. 33:23, 33:22, 33:21. But first he had to survive today.

"Looks like you could use a little extra help."

Coulson turned around, touching the pin that materialized his gun into his hand. Standing behind him was an Asian man wearing sunglasses. "Who are you?" he demanded. Coulson instantly looked at the man's back, searching for those tattletale black wings that all those so called 'Reapers' had. He had not survived the last five days to give up now.

The man let out a laugh and Coulson was struck with an odd sense of déjà vu. If he didn't know any better, the man gave off some passing similarity to that of Tony Stark. "Let's just say a concern bystander who would like to see you win the Reaper Game." The man tossed Coulson a small bag.

With ease, Coulson caught it. He opened it, pouring the contents onto his hand. It was six pins. The first was had Iron man's helmet on it. The next one had Captain America's shield design on it, followed by Thor's hammer, a green fist, a bow and arrow and lastly a black spider.

"Avenger themed pins," the man explained in a wryly tone. "I thought would appreciate them."

Coulson did, but again didn't understand why.

"They're keyed to your frequency and yours alone. So only you can use it. I think they're fairly straightforward."

"Why are you helping me? You're not a Reaper. You don't seem to be another player either," Coulson asked. He wasn't going to turn down free help, but years of being an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D made him paranoid.

The man smiled. If Coulson had to explain it, he would say the man almost looked fond. "Just know there are people waiting for you to come home, Agent Coulson," the man said.

Then the man vanished, leaving behind a single white feather.

Coulson looked back at the pins in his hand. Clenching his fist around them, he nodded in set determination. "Let's go win this Reaper Game."

Tony whistled to himself as he strolled into living area of his tower. His teammates were collapsed all over the place, spread across the chairs and couches, looking as if they were dead to the world.

"Good morning!" Tony greeted. He mentally crackled as they all jumped to their feet.

"Stark!"

Ah that sounded like music to ears. It was nice to be back. Shibuya was lovely but it would be too soon to go back to dealing with all that work. Being back in New York would be a much needed vacation.

Tony's grin spread wider as he spotted the black and yellow pins pinned on everyone and surging hum of imagination that buzzed around the room. Oooo! Something good happened while he was away. Add the fact that a familiar face will probably be rejoining them in two days and it was shaping up to be great start of the week.

"Where the hell have you been?" Steve demanded. "Pepper said you were in Japan, but it really would it kill you to let us know?"

"Captain oh Captain," Tony teased, patting the taller blond on the shoulder. "Look I have many life mottoes, but there is really one of mines that you should learn because it'll make your life so much easier when it comes to dealing with me. Not to mention everyone in this room lives by it anyways."

"And what is that?" Steve asked with a resigned sigh.

Tony smiled. "Do what you want, how you want, when you want."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note  
> Long, Boring but hopefully informative.  
> There was a lot of stuff going on in here. There was some stuff that used, but never explained in the story because there was no need for it or it never came up.
> 
> First, last chapter all the Avengers found a set of pins. It was the Holy Field Set.
> 
> Eden's Gate - Steve  
> One Hop From Eden - Bruce  
> One Jump From Eden - Thor  
> One Skip From Eden - Clint  
> One Step From Eden – Natasha
> 
> I mixed it so that inscription of the pin matched the Avenger as close as possible. For those of you who don't know or don't remember, one of Holy Field's effects is 'If Neku has the puck, he will become invincible to all enemy attacks until the Light Puck is passed to his partner or it fades away.' So since the light puck doesn't exactly translate well into reality (Gameplay and Story Segregation) I simply had it as when the five pins gather and activate, they become encased in a green light becoming temporarily invincible. :3 That's why they survived the robot's attack.
> 
> Next, Coulson and the Reaper Game.  
> Okay this could be its own little spin off but trust me every time I try to write a full reaper game it fails. So tiny drabble part. :P
> 
> First Coulson doesn't have a partner. Let's start with some culture background. I've been taught that in Japan they values uniformly. If the nail sticks up, hammer it down. So when I view the partnership of the game and Sanae's own 'Believe in your Partner' I sometimes get the feeling that it's all about compromise and conforming to others with various shades of working together. On the other hand America is all about individuality. You have to be unique, to stand up for yourself, go against the flow of the crowd. Because of this, I view the Reaper Game in America wouldn't have a partner system.
> 
> Second, Coulson's entry fee. If it wasn't clear it was his attachment to the Avengers. Some of it can't be erase, such as remembering Clint and Natasha because they work together. His remembrance of Tony for example was before he got to know Tony and is probably some aftereffect of Tony being Sanae. And Thor is because he's an alien (hard to forget something like that).
> 
> Third, why is Coulson still playing the game when he died five weeks ago? Due to the massive alien attack, many people died during the Chitarui invasion. I like to think the Reaper Game was backlogged and Coulson's turn to play only happened during this week.


End file.
